Pool service unit



Feb. 16, 1965 R. 'r. PAYNE POOL SERVICE UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5. 1961 INVENTOR. 205527" 2' A)/VE fi. Jm

Feb. 16, 1965 R. T. PAYNE 3,169,920

POOL SERVICE UNIT Filed Jan. 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EN TOR. Razz-Pr 2' 94m:

BY Jim 4 TTO/Q/VEY United States Patent 3,169,920 P001. SERVICE UNIT Robert T. Payne, 12454 E. Elliott, El Monte, Calif. Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,421 2 Claims. (Cl. 210-169) This invention relates to integral or unit means for servicing a swimming pool.

Heretofore, various means and connections therefor have been placed in different and spaced places around a swimming pool, the same constituting a system or systems for the operation, care and maintenance of a swimming pool. During the construction of the pool, before and during the casting of the cement walls and the paving of the deck around the pool, various water pipes had to be first installed in the ground around the pool; pits to house filter apparatus had to be provided; provisions had to be made for pool lighting; a network of electrical cables and wires had first to be properly located and then installed; and, if weir means were used together with debris-skimming, separate provisions required to be made. It will be evident that considerable planning and much time and effort were needed for providing for the installation of the above and various other operation, care and maintenance means for swimming pools. Of course, the cost thereof was commensurately high, since much digging of the ground around the pool was necessary, as Well as installing various forms to shape the wells, pockets and other recesses during application of the gunite or other cementitious composition of which pool are ordinarily made.

An object of the present invention is to provide a single unitary device that may be installed as a unit in a single recess provided therefore in the pool wall, and to embody in said unit all of the means necessary for operating, caring for and maintaining a swimming pool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a service unit of the character referred to that contains all of the flow pipes needed for maintaining a swimming pool and requires only the connection of a single multi-conductor cable thereto for providing current to operate the electrical components embodied in said unit.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a Working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, and which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a swimming pool showing the present service unit in operative installed position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken through the approximate medial line of the unit.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a broken plan view, partly in section, with the unit in another operative position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing still another operative position of the unit.

A generally conventional swimming pool is represented by the wall 10, the same being here shown as surrounded by a paved deck 11 that is defined by coping 12 around the perimeter of the pool. It is usual to line the wall It) with tile 13 beneath the coping and at about the water line 14 of the pool. In the present case, such a pool is constructed without water connections of any sort, but with a power cable 15, preferably embedded in the deck 11. Such a cable is preferably of waterproof construction and is enclosed within a suitable conduit in the usual way. According to the invention, the wall 10 is formed to have a niche or recess 16 that is open to the pool as well as open at the top. Said recess is preferably of parallelepiped form, as suggested in FIG. 1, and according to the preferred form of the present invention a service unit 17, which is shown in FIG. 1, is fitted into said recess so that the front of the unit is preferably flush with the face of wall 10 and the top is fiush with the deck 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the cable is extended into unit 17 so that electrical components with in the unit may receive operating current by way of said cable. As shown in FIG. 1, a suitable finishing molding 18 may be anchored to the deck around recess 16 to overlap the top of unit 17 and, thereby, hold the same firmly in niche 16 and yet enable removal if the same is desired.

The present service unit 17 comprises, generally, a housing 20 of a size and shape to snugly fit into the niche 16 and having a longitudinal top recess 21, a hinged cover 22 for said recess 21, a debris-skimming weir 23 disposed in said pocket and over which pool Water entering the pocket is adapted to spill, a skimmer regulator 24 in the path of such spilling water, a debris strainer 25 beneath said regulator, a filter unit 26 disposed in said housing 20 in the rearward portion thereof, means 27 to pump water passing through the debris strainer into said filter unit, a water inlet 28 from the pool into the lower front of the housing 20, a suction line 29 between said inlet 28 and the inlet to the pump means 27 to pass pool water to the pump to insure eflicient filtering capacity and in the event the pool water level 14 recedes below opening 58, a flow line 30 from the filter unit 26 to a fitting 31 in the front of the housing to conduct filtered water to the pool, means 32 for cleaning the filter elements of the filter unit 26, a waste line 33 from the unit 26 to discharge the contents of the filter housing to sewage, and means utilizing the skimmer regulator 24 in another position, the pump means 27 and the waste line 33, for vacuum cleaning the bototm of the pool and for draining the pool, as desired.

The present service unit 17 may have improved utility by providing the same with water-chlorinating means 35, and a pool-illuminating light 36, both entirely embodied within the housing 20 and both operated by power supplied by cable 15. Also, the operation efiiciency of the filter may be easily ascertained by providing the unit 17 with two flow meters 37 and 38 for showing the influent and efliuent characteristics of the water flow through the unit, such meters being readable from above when the recess 21 is exposed by opening of the cover 22.

The housing 2% is preferably formed of a plastic material, such as fiberglass or other vacuum-formed resin. As shown, said housing comprises a lower housing part 4%, an upper housing part 41, and a connecting band 42 fixedly connecting said parts. The lower front corner of housing part 40, at least the middle thereof, is formed to have a sloping wall 43. Said housing part 40 also is provided in its pool wall with an opening 44 for the fitting 31, and an opening 45 for the light 36. The upper housing part 41 has the recess 21 formed therein and its top wall, rearward of said recess, is provided with a removable cover 46 that affords access to the interior of the housing for replenishing the chlorinating means 35, setting the flow of the filtered water as desired, or operating the filter cleaning means 32.

The wall 47 .of housing part 41 is provided with an opening 48, and a body 49'is' alfixed to the underside of wall 47 to house the skimmer regulator 24 and the debris strainer 25. The mentioned recess 21 extends entirely across the housing part 41, the Wall 47 constituting the bottom of said recess.

The cover 22 is formed to have a top wall 50 that, by means of a'layer of grout or other cement 51, carries a piece of coping 52 that constitutes an extension of the pool coping 12 (FIG. 1). Side walls 53 on said cover are flush with the sides of the housing 20, and inner partition walls 54 divide the interior of the cover into .a central chamber 55 and side spaces 56.. A front wall 57 on said cover is provided with an opening 58, through which pool water enters the chamber 55 and the space defined by'the recess 21, generally. The lower front portion of the cover is connected to the wall 47 by a hinge 59 on which said cover may be swung between a closed position, as in the I full lines of FIG. 2, and an open position, as in FIG. 4, in which the recess 21 is exposed. A suitable latch 60 may be provided for holding the cover releasably in closed position.

The weir 23 is shown as afiixed beneath the bracket 61 and residing in the chamber 55. Regardless of its particular form or design, the weir acts as a means for allowing leaves, twigs and other such debris to. move over the top thereof and to fall onto the skimmer regulator 24.

The skimmer regulator 24 comprises a hollow body 62 that on one side is provided with a damper type valve 63, a

and on the opposite side with a connection extension 64. On the latter side, said body 62 is provided with support feet 65.

Normally, the regulator 24 isset, as in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, with the valve 63 facing upwardly so thatdebris moving over the top of the weir 23 may fall thereon, enter the interior of the body 62, and then exit downwardly through the extension 64. It will be clear that the Water exiting from extension 64 is subject to the suction of the pump means 27. When the unit is to be used .for vacuum cleaning the pool or for draining the same, inverting of the regulator 24, as in FIG. 5, connecting a hose to the extension 64, and using the pump means to apply, suction to said hose to cause discharge of thecontents thereof, as before, in a downward direction, draws water from the bottom of the pool or from any other portion thereof,

regardless of the pool level, through the pump 27.

The debris strainer 25 simply comprises a perforated debris-collecting receptacle through which water may pour toward pump 27and which collects debris which may be emptied from time to time. A seal 66 is provided between the body 49 and the top support flange of :the

strainer so that the suction of pump means 27 is effective only on the outside of the strainer and through the strainer perforations upon the debris therein.

The filter unit 26 may be generally conventional. In this case, the same is shown as an outer housing 67, a set of filter elements63 within said housing, and a hollow rotational shaft 69 on which said elements are carried and which is journalled in the ends of housing 67. .A water inlet-70 is preferably provided at the top of housing 67, and anoutlet 71 at the bottom. In the usual way, the water entering said housing passes through elements 68 into the hollow of shaft 69 and exits by way of an outlet 72. Thus,,only filtered water passes to outlet 72, the unfiltered water either remaining in the housing 67 or, as will later be seen, being drawn oil to sewage.

The pump means 27v is shown as a pump housing .73 in which is mounted an impeller 74 that imposes suction in the body 49 and discharges water from housing 73, through a connection pipe 75, into the filter housing 67.

The impeller is driven by a motor 76 that receives current.

from cable 15.

The suction line 29 is provided to provide an additional supply of water to be passed through the filter, the same supplementing water that flows over the weir and peller 74, since, as in FIG. 2, the body 62 of the regulator 24 is out of the path of such flow.

The inlet 28 further includes a grille 81 that is afiixed to wall 43 by a bolt 82 and serves as a debris interceptor to keep the line 29 clear of accumulations.

The linie 34? for discharging filtered water to the pool is shown as a flexible hose 83 that connects pipe 72 with water inlet fitting 31. A valve 84 in pipe 72 is ordinarily open to allow such flow which is the normal filter fiow of the present means.

When the filter elements 68 become clogged due to accumulations of material on the outer sides of said elements, the valve 84 is closed so that all of the flow into the housing 67 will be forced from said housing into the waste line 33. Such flow will wash down the filter elements, the Washing operation being improved by rotating said elements by manual-'manipulation of the means 32 and, thereby, providing increased particle-dislodging agitation. The means 32 may be reached throuhg the opening exposed when the cover 46 is removed,

Normally, the Waste line 33 has a plug 85 that closes the pipe extension 86a at the end of said line and extending above the, wall 47 of the housing part 41. When the elements 68 are to be flushed .oflithe cover 22 is swung out of the way, a hose is connected to the extension 86a (after the plug'85 has been removed), and the valve 84 is closed to stop flow to the filter elements. Now, the pump 27 will force the pool Water to wash the filter elements and direct the resultant waste into the hose.v The latter may be emptied into a sewer .or other place of disposal. It is evident thatopening valve 84, removing the hose on the extension 86a, and replugging the same, will restore the apparatus to normal. filtering operation.

It will be clear fromthe foregoing that a self-contained unit 17 has been provided for servicing a pool to (l) circulate the pool water and filter the same, (2) skim debris from said water before the same reaches the filter, (3) drain the pool of its water'or vacuum clean the bottom thereof, and (4) clean the filter.

In the case of point (3) above, the weir may be re moved or pulled back to give easier, access to the connec tion extension 64. The rate of efiiuence of the flow from filtered line 30 may be read on the meter 37 by providing a connection between said meter and the fitting 31,.thus showing the efiiciency of the filtering operation. By providing a connectionbetween the waste line 33 at the outlet 71 in the bottom of. housing 67 and the meter 38, the infiuent rate of fiowin line 33 may be read to show the tsate of cleanliness of the fiber.

The chlorinating means 35 is shown as a tank 87a that, through aline 86, is drained by a motor-operated pump 87, the chlorine discharge being into the fitting 31, as can be can seen in FIG. 2'.

The light 36 may comprise a lamp 88 inside housing 2%, and a lens 89 closing the opening 45 in the housing Wall and through which the lamp S3. directs its light.

It will be clear that draining of the pool is efiected with the means 24 inverted as in FIG. 5.- At that time, the valve 84 is closed so that the outlet of the pump means '27. can flow only through the waste line 33 and thence outwardly of a hose connected to extension 86a- As can be seen, the present unit is self-contained insofar as water flow therethrough is concerned, and has only a single. connection-the cable 15 that extends to a remote point.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplatedv to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restirct the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1.A pool service unit comprising an enclosed housing having a top wall and a front wall adapted to form a continuation of a pool deck and a side wall thereof, respecively, said housing having a skimmer opening for receiving debris-laden Water from the surface of a pool disposed in a recessed portion of said top wall and communicating with a portion of said front wall, said housing further being provided with a discharge opening for returning filtered water to the pool and an inlet opening for receiving Water from substantially beneath the surface of the pool to be filtered, a pump within said housing, a sealed body extending within said housing and connected at its top end to said skimmer opening and at its bottom end to the intake of said pump within said housing, said pump having a discharge outlet connected by a first conduit to the intake side of a filter unit within said housing, a second conduit connecting said inlet opening to said sealed body at a point intermediate said ends of the body, and an opening for discharging filtered water from said filter unit connected by a third conduit to said discharge opening in said front wall.

2. A pool service unit according to claim 1 wherein a skimmer regulator is disposed in said body and spanning said skimmer opening, said skimmer regulator being invertible and having a first side provided with a regulat-t ing damper valve and a second side provided with a hose connection, a flow control valve in said third conduit, and a conduit leading from said intake of said filter unit which may beconnected to a sewerage outlet external of said pool whereby when said first side is turned upwardly and said flow control valve open, the pool may be filtered, and when said second side is turned upwardly and said flow control valve closed, the pool may be drained.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

HARRY B. THORNTON, HERBERT L. MARTIN,

' Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Nom 3, 169 ,920 February 16 1965 Robert T, Payne It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 46, for "bototm" read bottom column 4 line 15, for "linie" read line line 26, for "throuhg" read through line 56, for "tsate of cleanliness of the fiber" read state of cleanliness of thefilter line 60, strike out "can"; column 5, line 3, for "restirct" read restrict same column 5, lines 11 and 12, for "respecively"; read respectively 1 Signed and sealed this 14th day of September 19650 (SEAL) Aucst:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attcsting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A POOL SERVICE UNIT COMPRISING AN ENCLOSED HOUSING HAVING A TOP WALL AND A FRONT WALL ADAPTED TO FORM A CONTINUATION OF A POOL DECK AND A SIDE WALL THEREOF, RESPECTIVELY, SAID HOUSING HAVING A SKIMMER OPENING FOR RECEIVING DEBRIS-LADEN WATER FROMTHE SURFACE OF A POOL DISPOSED IN A RECESSED PORTION OF SAID TOP WALL AND COMMUNICATING WITH A PORTION OF SAID FRONT WALL, SAID HOUSING FURTHER BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING FOR RETURNING FILTERED WATER TO THE POOL AND AN INELT OPENING FOR RECEIVING WATER FROM SUBSTANTIALLY BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE POOL TO BE FILTERED, A PUMP WITHIN SAID HOUSING A SEALED BODY EXTENDING WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND CONNECTED AT ITS TOP END TO SAID SKIMMER OPENING AND AT ITS BOTTOMEND TO THE INTAKE OF SAID PUMP WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID PUMP HAVING A DISCHARGE OUTLET CONNECTED BY A FIRST CONDUIT TO THE INTAKE SIDE OF A FILTER UNIT WITHIN 